Recent events suggest that the United States as a whole is unprepared to respond effectively to damage caused by natural disasters. Research... » More

Recent events suggest that the United States as a whole is unprepared to respond effectively to damage caused by natural disasters. Research indicates that the nation’s university campuses require increased attention paid to their own disaster preparedness planning. This study is tailored specifically to earthquakes in proximity to the University of California at San Diego. Data ascertained has provided crucial insight into the potential consequences of a large-magnitude earthquake in the vicinity. Archival evidence indicates several subtle flaws in UCSD’s current emergency response system. Interviews with disaster preparedness experts in the community confirm these. Findings from a survey of the campus demonstrate a staggering lack of awareness regarding the student body’s knowledge of how to react constructively in the event of a large-scale earthquake. The aim is to promote awareness and to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the campus’s future emergency responses – particularly to major earthquakes – and by so doing to mitigate injuries and damage.

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